Retractable anchorage-type fastener



June 1961 E. s. ASFOUR ET AL 2,988,855

' RETRACTABLE ANCHORAGE-TYPE FASTENER Filed Jan. 27, 1959 INVENTORF Emil. S. flsFour' BY Edward D. Z109 United States Patent Oifice Patented June 20, 1961 2,988,855 RETRACTABLE ANCHORAGE-TYPE FASTENER Emil S. Asfour, 85 Sunset Circle, Fairlield, Conn, and Edward D. Zloe, Edgewater Hillside, Westport, Conn. Filed Jan. 27, 1959, Ser. No. 789,313 6 Claims. (Cl. 50478) This invention relates to devices intended to secure or anchor machinery and other equipment to floor or wall surfaces, and more particularly to retractable fastening devices of this type, having portions which may be shifted out of the way when the device is not in use.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved fastening device of the anchor bolt type, wherein the bolt or stud is completely retractable into the floor or other supporting surface, when this is desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved retractable fastener or anchor bolt as above set forth, which is extremely rugged and durable, and which may be made to exert a strong and powerful force tending to hold the equipment securely in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved retractable anchorage means as characterized, which may be easily installed in floor, wall or other supporting surfaces.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of .an improved retractable anchorage means which may be very easily operated, either to extend it for use in securing equipment in place, or else to retract the securing means when the anchorage is to be not used.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved anchorage means as above set forth, which is extremely simple in its construction and relatively inexpensive to fabricate and produce.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved retractable anchorage means, wherein relatively few components are required, there being as few as three relatively movable parts in the entire device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved retractable anchoring means as above characterized, wherein the fastening device or bolt is adjustably positionable as regards both its lateral and angular disposition, thereby to enable slight differences in the dimensions of the equipment mountings to be taken care of.

Yet another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and advantageous anchorage means in accordance with the foregoing, which is small in size and extremely compact, whereby it requires relatively little space.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of an improved anchorage means as above set forth which is reliable and fool-proof in its use and operation.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, similar characters of reference are used to designate like components throughout the several views, in which:

. FIG. 1 is a vertical axial sectional view of an improved retractable anchorage means or bolt as provided by the invention, the bolt being shown in its extended or operative position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 but partly in elevation, showing the fastening bolt in its retracted position.

FIG. 3 is a vertical axial sectional view of a retractable anchorage means illustrating a modified form of the invention, the fastening bolt being shown in its retracted position. l FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the retractable anchorage means, showing in elevation a closure cap intended to cover the bolt when the latter is in retracted position.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, but showing a different kind of cover cap for use with the retractable anchorage means.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved retractable anchorages means illustrated therein comprises a housing 10 which is closed except for a central opening 11 in its top portion. The housing 10 may be advantageously fabricated of a round, heavy-walled tube 13 constituted preferably of steel or other suitable structural material. The housing 10 further includes thick or heavy top and bottom plates, 15 and 16 respectively, said plates being also advantageously constituted of heavy steel construction and being secured to the ends of the tube 13 as by electric welds 18. The end plate 15 is preferably circular, and the bottom plate 16 is preferably square and of a size appreciably greater than the outside diameter of the housing tube 13, thereby to provide the housing with a bottom peripheral flange 19.

As seen in FIG. 1, the housing 10 is intended to be imbedded in a floor or other supporting surface so that the top face of the top plate 15 is flush with the said surface. The housing 10 may be readily incorporated in new floor structures formed of concrete, by imbedding the housing therein at the time that the concrete is being laid; or, after the flooring has been put down, the housing 10 may be placed in suitable holes which are drilled or otherwise provided in the masonry, either prior to appreciable setting or at any later time.

.In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a retractably mounted threaded bolt 22, arranged to extend through the opening 11 in the top plate 15 and to be disposed in an inverted position as shown. The bolt 22 has a sliding or loose fit in the opening 11, and the latter is not so large as to permit the head 23 of the bolt to pass through it.

The disposition of the bolt 22 as seen in FIG. 1 illustrates its extended, operative position and the disposition in FIG. 2 illustrates the retracted, inoperative position of the bolt.

Within the housing 10 there is provided a combined keying and locking means engageable with the head 23 of the bolt 22, said means serving to prevent turning of the bolt 22 when the latter is in its extended position as shown in FIG. 1, and also serving to hold and lock the bolt retracted within the housing as in FIG. 2 when the anchorage is to be not used. The said keying and locking means is preferably constituted as a single member, in the form of a heavy-walled inner tube 25 having a polygonal cross-sectional shape similar to the shape of the bolt head 23, said inner tube permitting the bolt head to slidably fit within it when the head and tube are in registration. Preferably the bolt head 23 is of square shape, and the cross sectional shape of the inner tube 25 is also square, whereby the tube fits the bolt head in the manner of a wrench and securely prevents turning of the bolt 22 when the head 23 is disposed within the tube 25.

As shown, the inner, heavy-walled tube 25 is attached to the top plate 15 of the housing 10, as by electrical welds 27.

It will be observed from an inspection of FIGS. 1 and 2 that the bolt 22 may be shifted downward from its extended position of FIG. 1 to the retracted position of FIG. 2 wherein the bolt head 23 is completely out of the inner tube 25 and disposed just beyond the lower end of the said tube. For this fully retracted position of the bolt 22 the upper end thereof is disposed just below the top surface of the top plate 15 of the housing 10. If when so located the bolt 22 is given a quarter turn, the square head 23 will be brought out of registration with the inner t be 2. h e pon he bol i e la k n re a ted p sition and prevented from shifting axially upward through the inner tube 25.

To facilitate the retraction and extension of the bolt 22 a helical compression spring 30 is provided within the housing 10, said spring at one end engaging the bottom plate 16 of the housing and at its other end engaging the lower side of the bolt head 23. The spring 30 normally urges the bolt 22 upward, and has sufficient movement to fully extend the bolt to the position of FIG. 1 when the bolt and bolt head are free to move in the inner tube 25.

Thus, the spring 30 will normally hold the bolt 22 in its projected position as shown in 'FIG. 1, whereby it may extend through an apertured foot of a machine or piece of equipment (shown in dotted outline in FIG. 1) and may secure said foot to the floor surface by threading a nut 32 011 the bolt. During such operation, and during the tightening of the nut 32 the bolt 22 will be prevented from turning by virtue of the square head 23 being keyed to the inner keying and locking tube 25, as will now be understood.

When the anchorage means is to be not used, the bolt 22 may be shifted downward to its retracted position againts the action of the spring 30 and then given a quarter turn, whereupon the head 23 will be locked by engagement of the corners of the head with the bottom edge of the locking tube 25.

The quarter turn locking and unlocking movements of the bolt 22 may be readily carried out by the provision of a kerf or screwdriver slot 34, in the upper end of the bolt 22 as shown.

For the purpose of providing a stop to limit the retracting movement of the bolt 22 to the position shown in FIG. 2, there is located within the housing 10 an upstanding stud 36, secured at its lower end to the bottom plate 16 of the housing and arranged to extend through the lower portion of the compression spring 30. The upper end of the stud 36 engages the lower surface of the bolt head 23 when the bolt is fully retracted, as seen in FIG. 2.

Further, the upstanding stud 36 provides a guide for the compression spring 30, preventing the latter from buckling or having any appreciable sidewise movement. Preferably, as seen in FIG. 1, the upper end of the stud 36 is made pointed, and the head 23 of the bolt 22 is provided with a central recess whereby the bolt is positioned or centered by the stud at the time that it occupies the re tracted position of FIG. 2.

The upstanding stud 36 may be secured to the bottom plate 16 in the housing 10 in any suitable manner, as by providing a central opening in the bottom plate and press fitting the stud therein. Also, the stud may be permanently secured to the bottom plate by electrical welds 38, as shown.

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 3. Components which are similar to those already illustrated and described, have been given like numerals. The difference between the construction of FIG. 3 and that of FIGS. 1 and 2 resides in the omission of the upstanding stud 36, and in the forming of the compression spring 30a so that it has a lower portion of larger diameter arranged to closely fit within the lower part of the housing 10, and has an upper portion of smaller diameter, arranged to slidably fit within the keying and locking tube 250.

Also, the lower edge of the keying and locking tube 25a is provided with four notches 40. which are arranged to. receive the corner portions of the bolt head 23 when the bolt 22 is in its retracted position, shown in full lines.

By this construction the bolt 22 when retracted is more securely. held against turning and, against inadvertent reeasend. x ension.

Refepring to FIG. 4, a cap or closure member 42 may be prov ed o. fi the ope ing 11 in. het p Pl te of the housing 10 for the purpose of providing a closed appearance and construction when the anchor bolt 22 is in its retracted position. The cap 42 may be constituted of any suitable material, as for example metal, plastic or the like. As shown, the cap 42 is in the form of a solid button, having a rounded upper surface or crown 43 and a positioning shoulder 44 on its underside.

In place of the cap 42 shown in FIG. 4, a cap 46 may be provided as illustrated in FIG. 5, the said cap being in the form of a shallow dish having relatively thin walls. The cap 46 may be advantageously constituted as a sheet metal stamping, or it may be molded of plastic or other moldable material.

In both forms of the invention a loose fit is provided between the shank 22 of the bolt and the top plate 15, thereby to enable the bolt to be shifted laterally to an extent and also angularly adjusted, so as to accommodate mounting feet of equipment which may for example be slightly out of alignment, or not accurately positioned or fabricated.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that there has been provided by the invention a novel and advantageous anchorage means which is completely retractable into the supporting surface whether this be a floor surface, wall or other surface. The said retractable anchorage means is strong and rugged in its construction, extremely simple, relatively inexpensive to produce, and small and compact whereby it requires but little space. Relatively few components are involved, there being as few as three relatively movable parts, i.e. the housing 10, the compression spring 30, and the retractable bolt part 22. The operation of the retractable anchorage is readily understood, and when the bolt 22 is in its fully retracted position there will be no obstruction appearing at the floor surface because of the presence of the anchorage, thereby enabling equipment to be readily moved about, positioned, etc.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

We claim:

1. A retractable anchor bolt comprising a housing adapted to be imbedded in a fioor structure, said housing having a transverse top wall and an opening in the top wall, said wall having an annular inwardly exposed abuttable area surrounding the said opening; a bolt carried by said housing in inverted position with the shank disposed in said top opening, said bolt having a head constituting a shoulder and provided with keying means by which it may be prevented from turning; spring means in said housing, engaging the bolt for urging the same to an extended position wherein the shank projects from the top of the housing; cooperable keying means in said housing engageable with the keying means on the head of the bolt when the latter is in extended position, for preventing turning of the bolt; and locking means in said housing, engageable and cooperable with the head of the bolt to hold the latter retracted within the housing against the action of said spring means, said locking means being disengageable from said bolt head upon turning the retracted bolt, thereby to enable the spring means to be operative to shift the bolt to extended position, said keying and locking means disposed in the housing comprising a straight-bored, solid walled tube at one end secured to the top wall of the housing around the abuttable area thereof, within which tube the bolt head is axially movable and may be wholly contained, the cross section of said tube and said bolt head having similar non-circular shapes whereby the bolt head when in the tube is prevented from turning, the free end of said tube being engageable with the underside of said bolt head to effect the locking of the bolt and the underside of the head engaging the said annular abuttable area when the bolt is in extended position, said housing top wall being engageable with equipment which is to be secured to the floor.

2. The invention as described in claim 1 in which the bolt head and tube cross sections are square.

3. The invention as describedin claim 2 in which the housing comprises a tube coaxial with the keying and locking tube, and in which the spring means comprises a helical compression spring having an end of larger diameter disposed in the lower portion of the housing and having an end of smaller diameter arranged to extend into the keying and locking tube.

4. The invention as described in claim 1, in which the bolt head and tube cross sections are square, and in which the free end of said tube is notched to receive corner portions of the bolt head when the latter is brought into abutting engagement with said end while out of registration with the bore of the tube.

5. A retractable anchor bolt comprising a housing adapted to be imbedded in a floor structure, said housing having an opening in its top; a bolt carried by said housing in inverted position with the shank disposed in said top opening, said bolt having a head constituting a shoulder and provided with keying means by which it may be prevented from turning; spring means in said housing, engaging the bolt for urging the same to an extended position wherein the shank projects from the top of the housing; cooperable key means in said housing engageable with the keying means on the head of the bolt when 6 the latter is in extended position, for preventing turning of the bolt; and locking means in said housing, engageable and cooperable with the head of the bolt to hold the latter retracted within the housing against the action of said spring means, said locking means being disengageable from said bolt head upon turning the retracted bolt, thereby to enable the spring means to be operative to shift the bolt to extended position, said spring means comprising a helical compression spring; and an upstanding stud disposed in and secured to the lower portion of the housing and extending through said compression spring to guide the latter, said stud being aligned with the said bolt and constituting a stop therefor when the bolt is shifted to retracted position.

6. The invention as described in claim 5 in which the upper end of the stud is pointed, and in which the inner end of the bolt is recessed to receive the pointed end of the bolt when the latter is in retracted position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 830,233 Kirkland Sept. 4, 1906 1,351,112 Martin Aug. 31, 1920 1,940,084 Grasso Dec. 19, 1933 2,312,338 Hulme Mar. 2, 1943 

